A Beautiful Seductress

DEVON

I relished that shocked look on her pretty face. Elena Bell was considered a cunning fox in the skin of a beautiful seductress. But clearly, she had never crossed paths with someone like Devon Sanders.

I was distracted by the vibrations against my thigh. My phone was ringing continuously, but I ignored it. I didn't want to ruin this moment when I would see Elena's defeat.

Whoever was on the phone, could wait.

The volcanoes have always fascinated me since childhood. I had travelled the lengths and breadths of the world, but for some reason, I never got a chance to see these volcanoes that my childhood imagination compared to the earth's outlet of her anger.

But today when I look at the woman fuming in front of me, smoke coming out of her ears, I could imagine what I would feel when I would see a volcano in reality.

I was ready to counter her every move. But seemed like she had something else on her mind.

She turned to face the workers, her eyes blazing with passion.

"We people of Swindon love our town, our hills and our river. We pledged to not allow these outsiders to ruin our town, and its beauty and contaminate our river. We drink water from her, we use her water for daily chores.

What are we going to do once she is ruined? Do we have another option? How are our future generations going to survive? By drinking that chemically infected water that would lead only to one faith for all -death?!"

She was a mesmerising diva, an enigmatic leader, a fierce believer and a brave human. She didn't care that I was standing right there or the tens of burly men who could easily haul her out of my property.

No wonder she was a skilled manipulator. I could have just stopped her by throwing her out of the property, but the show had just begun and there was more waiting on her way.

"We promised to not let the Sanders open their factory, didn't we? Then why are you all here? Why you want to work for him and destroy our future? WHY?"

"Because their leader wants them to work!"

Her head snapped in my way at a lightning speed that I feared she might have broken it.

"What?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Let me introduce you to the leader of workers' union of Swindon AND the member of the board of operations of Sanders Fertilizers and Petrochemicals, Mr Oliver Bell!"

I watched her face pale and her eyeballs popping out of her skull. Oliver Bell, her father slowly stepped out from behind the crowd.

The man's face was set in an expressionless mould, but I could see the determination burning bright in his otherwise bored eyes.

Elena looked like she was hit by a meteor. Her shocked eyes took in her father from head to toe as if she was making sure that it was not his doppelganger facing her.

And then her face screamed nothing but the fire of betrayal.

"Mr Oliver Bell! Would you please explain me why the hell you are not cooperating with TGF on this matter when you yourself promised to do so back then?" She demanded.

I was actually surprised how she didn't call him father.

"Miss Bell, I didn't promise to do everything that TGF wants. I promised to think about the advancement of my fellow workers and our community.

I don't see a reason to support you anymore because even after four months you are unable to find a breakthrough in this situation.

How long do my friends have to sit without any work? How are they going to have food for their children? Have you ever thought about it?"

Her fists clenched as she threw daggers at him. I had never seen anyone looking so fiercely at their parents, except one person.

And though I hated to compare her with him, it was the same look that Mason Burke gives to his father.

"And how are they going to wipe their poop stained ass without the water of this river?"

I was shocked, to say the least, but Joanna, she choked on her own spit before breaking into a fit of cough. Christine, who was standing silently made a disgusted noise at the back of her throat, her face crinkled in displeasure.

"ELENA!"

"It's Miss Bell, Mr Oliver Bell! Don't forget that." She warned her father, and the man could only fume speechlessly.

A man probably her neighbour or a friend of her father dared to step forward. "Elena, dear, he is your father. You shouldn't-"

"Shouldn't a father support his daughter too?" The target of her glare changed, and the man took a step back, regretting his previous action.

Then she finally turned to me. "You! I know you must have bribed the trust and maybe even the officers to get these papers done in such a short time. I am a lawyer for your kind information, Mr Sanders!

I know how these things work. But these papers are not going to help you get out of this mess."

We heard sirens before two police cars entered through the broken gate.

I sighed.

'I expected much better from you, Miss Bell. Seemed like just like your friend, I also overestimated you!'

Four officers stepped out of the cars, along with one who I assumed was a Sheriff. Elena's face brightened up with even more confidence. The officers came to stand near us, their analysing gazes sweeping over the surroundings and every face that was present there.

The sheriff eyed my security warily before he turned to face Elena.

"Miss Bell, we recieved a call from TGF but didn't get any details. What's happening here?"

And then he finally took a look at me. The tall man with a heavy build looked more like a wrestler than a sheriff.

"Mr Devon Sanders, if I am not wrong!"

I accepted the hand he offered for a handshake, nodding my head.

"I am the Sheriff of Swindon. I was meant to meet you two days back but couldn't find the spare time from my schedule."

I scoffed inwardly. That was a blatant lie! I heard from Smith how he had his eyes like a hawk on our project and if anything, he was the strong pillar of Elena's confidence.

There was no chance of shaking that pillar with a bribe or threat. So it was better to let it untouched... for now at least.

"I am sure you must have been very busy Sheriff!" I answered without any hint of courtesy.

Our gazes clashed in the silent proclamation of challenge before we let go of each other's hands.

"Thank you for coming Sheriff Bolt!"

And then I saw it. A small hint of a smile on his face. That look of admiration in his eyes as if he was talking to a nymph from heaven.

I recked up that man from head to toe. He didn't look any younger than early forties with short hair and tan skin.

My jaw clenched at the way he looked at her and the utmost attention he gave her.

She didn't spare even the Sheriff, for God's sake!

What a woman she was!

"Anytime for you, Miss Bell. Tell me what's the problem here."

Elena took the papers from Steve's hands and showed them to Sheriff Bolt.

"Here. This man is a fraud! He has these documents made by giving a bribe. I don't know what pill he has given to Mr Oliver Bell but he is ready to work with him. I don't get a good feeling about this Sheriff."

Sheriff Bolt read the documents with a serious face before he looked up at Oliver Bell.

"Mr Bell, didn't you agree to not work here? This factory is a threat for not only Swindon but all other towns that survive on this river. Shouldn't you be concerned for its health?"

"I am more concerned for my fellow brothers and sisters, Sheriff Bolt. We are living without earning a single penny for the last four months. We have families to take care of, and elders to look after. How are we going to survive for long this way?

Miss Bell works in one of the reputed organisations in the country. She can take care of herself and her father, but that is not the case with other hundreds of people here. Shouldn't we ALL be concerned for them?"

I must say that the father and daughter duo was too good with words. If they teamed up ever, they would be unbeatable!

And that was what my plan was!

Use them against each other and never let them come together.

The only weakness of Elena Bell was her own father. And I had already decoded a way to exploit that weakness.

Sheriff Bolt didn't look quite pleased with the turn of events.

"Miss Bell, I am afraid, but we cannot touch this factory legally. These are the original papers."

"But he has obtained them by fraud!" She argued.

"Miss Bell", my voice caught her attention. "I have wasted much of my valuable time with you here. You are constantly accusing me of all the wrong reasons, and I can file a case of defamation against you for that.

You should leave now and stop bothering me, giving hate speeches against my company and provoking my workers with your false agendas.

I will let you go with the loss you have caused me in just two days. I am a forgiving man, Miss Bell. It's time for you to show a greater heart and think about the people of your town.

Or... we don't want your own people to turn against you, now do we?"